Spaghetti eating contest at George's restaurant, Southampton

In this series of fantastic images from 1964, one can catch glimpses of George Hannides, a prominent figure in Southampton's dining scene.

The famous "George" of George's Restaurant, is seen in action, skilfully serving up his renowned spaghetti bolognese to delighted customers.

In the crowd of famished diners stood Geoffrey Eastwood, a student studying physiology and biochemistry at Southampton University. Based on these archival images, it appeared he had a talent for slurping down the challenging Italian cuisine.

In contrast to the majority of University students who patronised Mr Hannides' establishment, Geoffrey possessed a high level of skill when it came to executing the Mediterranean twiddle.

This intricate maneuver involved the adept manipulation of a fork in the right hand against a spoon in the left hand, a practice typically carried out just before indulging in a mouthful of pasta.

But  Mr Hannides shared a helpful tip for mastering the Twiddle. He advised beginners to maintain an "open mouth stance" to facilitate quick gathering of any stray strands that may otherwise slip from the fork.

This technique can aid in developing the necessary skills for a successful Twiddle experience, ensuring a satisfying meal for those new to the art of twirling pasta.

In its prime, the demand for spaghetti dishes was quite remarkable as Mr Hannides revealed he could easily dish out up to 200 plates on any given day.

With a menu offering seven unique recipes, the standout favourite was undoubtedly the classic bolognese.

Unveiling just a hint of his closely guarded recipe, George shared that aside from tomatoes and meat, an essential ingredient was an abundance of garlic.

“You must have garlic. As we say in Cyprus, it keeps the mosquitoes away,”  George emphasized.

But it didn't keep the city's students from showing up in large numbers. While most of them excelled at the 'Twiddle,' occasional splashes on the tablecloths and squiggles on the floor indicated that not everyone had perfect control of their spaghetti during the event.